N°38 OCT 2011

n°38 SAHEL AND WEST AFRICA Club OCT 2011 - FEB 2012 Secretariat

THE SAHEL AND Secrétariat du DU SAHEL ET DE WEST AFRICA CLUB Club L'AFRIQUE DE L'OU EST SECRETARIAT’S neWsLetter

Regular information on SWAC work, publications and events. direCtor’s editoriaL www.oecd.org/swac t the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in A Busan, African countries advocated a united position. I would like to share with you one key extract of the “African Consensus and Position on Development Effectiveness,” which in this issue perfectly matches the vision and proposals the Club submitted in 2009 to the OECD VieWPoint Development Assistance Committee in support of an effective incorporation of the Chad to join ECOWAS? regional dimension into the development effectiveness agenda: sWaC WorK West Africa and Brazil addressing “Africa has strongly embraced a regional renewable energy challenges integration approach to securing its devel- West African Futures, opment goals based on inter and intra-African partnerships and 2nd Working Group meeting solidarity in the pursuit of common priorities. Hence, the call for a clear incorporation of the regional dimension to Aid Effec- Regional settlement statistics tiveness where the essential role of Africa’s Regional Economic and food security policy design Communities (RECs) and organisations as primary mecha- Food security: nisms for South-South co-operation within the African Union A regional Charter for West Africa architecture is reinforced. […] Strengthening the capacity of RECs is a major prerequisite to achieving development effec- A regional network of food security tiveness in Africa. The emerging global architecture will need stock boards (RESOGEST) to refl ect the regional level.” 27th annual meeting of the Food Crises Prevention Network (RPCA) Built on equal governance between West African regional SWAC Strategy and Policy Group meeting organisations (ECOWAS, UEMOA, CILSS) and development partner countries, the Club’s work clearly responds to this SWAC visit to the new UEMOA Commission call and refl ects the spirit of equal partnership put forward in and CILSS Busan. It is the only international initiative whose core purpose Cocoa: Child labour guidebook launch is to enhance regional integration by working together with regional actors, supporting West African regional policies West Africa Gateway launch and promoting West African positions in global debates. As cross-border dynamics grow stronger and more complex, it is PuBLiCations necessary more than ever to unite and further build synergies Global security risks and West Africa: between regional organisations created by West African development challenges countries. For me, this is the raison d’être of the Club, and we Are economic free zones good for are strongly committed to pursuing this goal in 2012. development? The guiding principles of the Busan Declaration (ownership China and Nigeria: of development priorities by developing countries; focus on a powerful South-South alliance results; inclusive development partnerships; transparency and accountability to each other) are naturally refl ected in the Club’s ForthComing eVents activities. One good example for inclusiveness and ownership is the annual SWAC Forum, which brings together Members SWAC Forum

and key stakeholders – public and The results of this mission will We will continue our work to closely private sector, civil society, devel- contribute to developing a joint monitor these evolving trends and opment partners and the media – to position reflecting the viewpoints and new developments, and to report on discuss a priority development issue. concerns of West African agricultural them through our weekly NewsBriefs Allowing participants to pool together producers. ECOWAS, UEMOA and and our newly launched West Africa their experiences, ideas and perspec- CILSS will also continue to implement Gateway. We hope that by providing tives, the forum serves as a platform a regional agenda for renewable energy quick access to reliable information for identifying potential areas for and energy efficiency in West Africa, and knowledge on the region, this consensus-based regional action. in particular through its Renewable new collaborative information tool will Energy Observatory to be launched prove to be very useful for your work The 2011 SWAC Forum “West Africa by the ECOWAS Regional Centre and thereby contribute to effective and Brazil: Addressing Renewable for Renewable Energy and Energy development co-operation. Energy Challenges” gave West African Efficiency (ECREEE) in October 2012. stakeholders not only the opportunity Laurent Bossard to reassert their interest in stronger Director, SWAC Secretariat co-operation with Brazil, but also provided opportunities for continuing dialogue. One concrete example of follow-up action, facilitated by the SWAC Secretariat, is the visit to Brazil in March 2012 of a group of West African farmers (Roppa members). The purpose of the visit is to learn on site about the challenges related to green fuel production.

2 SWAC News / October 2011 - February 2012 © Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD) SWAC Forum

West Africa and Brazil addressing renewable energy challenges

5-6 December 2011, Praia, Cape Verde

osted by the government of Cape Verde and jointly The Forum provided an important opportunity to H organised with the ECOWAS Regional Centre for strengthen institutional and personal ties between West Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), Africa, its traditional partners and Brazil, and it is crucial the 2011 SWAC Forum brought together around that this dialogue continues in the future. The SWAC 100 participants including a large delegation from Brazil. Secretariat and ECREEE are firmly committed to encour- Discussions contributed to deepening dialogue with Brazil aging and contributing to future debates. and exchanging country-level experiences and information on West Africa’s regional strategy for developing renewable energy sources.

energy challenges Renewable energy policies in West Africa

he development of renewable energy offers new opportunities for The development of the energy T addressing West Africa’s various energy challenges. Efforts to gradually sector is a key challenge for all West move away from the unsustainable use of biomass and fossil resources are African countries, oil producing and already underway in certain countries. However, most West African countries oil importing alike. The lack of access have not yet adopted a policy on renewable energy, so projects are conducted to reliable electricity sources heavily on an ad hoc basis without sustainable fundings sources. They are implemented impedes progress in health and without any connection to national energy strategies, most of which are either education, restricts small business obsolete, non-existent, or have underdeveloped standards and regulations. growth, poses problems for food Access to energy, a secure energy supply, and climate targets cannot be achieved processing and storage, and seriously in the coming decades without major investments in renewable energy and the impedes industrialisation. energy market. South-South co-operation between Brazil and West Africa is a great opportunity to advance plans that were devised to help overcome these Average per capita electricity challenges. consumption in West Africa is 88 kWh per habitant compared to 563 for all of Mahama Jorge Borges Africa and 2 596 for the entire world. Kappiah Minister of Although overall 20% of households ECREEE Director Foreign Affairs, have access to electricity, there is a Cape Verde large gap in coverage between urban (as much as 40%) and rural areas (6 to 8%). In West Africa, energy prices also vary widely between not only urban and rural areas, but also between “The key challenge for the devel- “Our goal is to be a country that does countries, which reveals the existence opment of renewable energy sources not depend on fossil fuels. To reach of sharp inequality in electricity and is the level of knowledge about these this goal, we have set out a series of overall energy prices. The electricity technologies in the region. People still steps within Cape Verde’s Energy grid is particularly sparse in rural have a very old-fashioned mindset Development Programme. By 2020, areas because there are currently no about renewables; they assume that we aim to meet 50% of our energy decentralised power supply systems. the technology is not fully developed, needs through renewable energy Only 5% of rural households have is very expensive, which keeps it sources. We are already aiming access to gas or kerosene. from being used in a poor country. for 25% in 2012. Cape Verde has a Because prices have dropped signifi- well-established, strategic vision for Widespread and unsustainable use cantly in the past few years and the renewable energy, and we are ready of wood resources also poses a technology has matured and is now a to share our experiences with other serious threat to the region; it not lot more reliable, the situation is a lot countries of the region. [...] We would only contributes to deforestation and different today. So, we must first get also like to take advantage of the desertification but may also ultimately this message across and build capacity experiences of Brazil, a champion in impact food production and food in Member States so that people can the use of different renewable energy security. For most countries in the be better informed about renewable systems, so that we might bring region, over 60% of the total energy energies. Second and most impor- technology, expertise and know-how consumption comes from traditional tantly, we must put in place appro- to our region in order to establish and biomass, and over 90% of the priate policy frameworks; there are concretise our agenda.“ population uses wood and charcoal no requisite policies in the region to harvested from local forests for support the growth of the renewable domestic cooking. energy industry. Lastly, we need to address financing. There is currently In order to address these challenges, no innovative financing mechanism many West African countries have for renewable energy development.” initiated power sector reforms geared towards the privatisation of state- owned, heavily bureaucratic electricity companies in the hopes of improving the efficiency of operations and increasing overall access. > Watch the key messages of the Club Forum on YouTube:

http://www. youtube.com/user/ SWACoecd?

4 SWAC News / October 2011 - February 2012 © Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD) Viewpoints

Georges Faye to create one coherent programme. Emmanuel Technical Since all UEMOA member countries Kofi Buah advisor, Ministry are also members of ECOWAS, why Deputy Minister for Renewable not use the ECOWAS White Paper as of Energy, Ghana Energy, Senegal a point of departure for developing one common energy policy for the entire region?”

“Senegal is highly dependant on oil Ibrahima Sylla “I think we made a lot of progress in imports, which has a heavy, negative Engineer, Ghana as regards the energy sector. impact on its trade balance. Because Ministry in To achieve the UN Millennium its factories have out-dated equipment, charge of Energy Development Goals, we need to the country currently suffers from and Environment, develop a reliable supply for power. frequent power outages, and this has Guinea We thus focus our efforts on creating triggered a series of public riots. The sufficient generation capacity, putting Senegalese government has, therefore, into place a strong distribution and created a Ministry for Renewable “Guinea has been an active participant transmission network and developing Energy in order to find alternatives in all ECOWAS activities. We a balanced energy mix. In fact, just to current energy sources that are have often shared information on the past month (November 2011), we responsible for recurring economic renewable energy issues with Mali passed a renewable energy law which and social problems. [...] and Niger, particularly concerning sets clear incentives to encourage the the improvement of household cooking private sector to invest in this sector. We need to have one common regional facilities. In the future, we plan to policy on renewable energy. CILSS, strengthen ties especially with Mali […] As Ghana makes progress, we also ECOWAS and UEMOA have all created in order to capitalise on its experiences need to integrate our strategies with their own energy programmes, with biofuel development.” our regional partners so that we can but where will we stand if they all move along in the same direction each implement their programmes together.” separately? We need to work together

Learning from Brazil’s experience

razil is the world leader in renewable energy, and has more than 35 years of experience in the field. In this country B of 206 million people, renewables account for 45% of total energy consumption. Biofuels made up 26% of Brazil’s energy consumption in 2010 (compared to a world average of 2.3%). West Africa can learn from this experience as it seeks to develop its own regional renewable energy policies.

Antõnio Carlos This production, however, must be José Manuel Kfouri Aidar combined with food production, de Souza Dias Control Direc- because we can never forget that it is Assistant Direc- tor, Fundação also crucial to ensure food security for tor, Technology Getúlio Vargas all of West Africa.” Transfer, Embra- (FGV) pa Agroenergia Maria Dulce Barros “Brazil believes that West Africa, Ambassador “West Africa has a rich potential like all regions of the Tropical Belt, of Brazil, to develop renewable energy, in possesses a wealth of natural resources Cape Verde particular biofuel. Most important, that are favourable to the production however, is that it develops an energy of biofuels as well as alternative balance that includes several energy energies such as wind, solar and hydro sources. Today, we are able to design power. We think, however, that biofuel “Africa has much to gain from its integrated models with sugar cane and production has some advantages over natural resources and its climate, and sweet sorghum for internal production alternative energy development. Wind we could definitely reproduce and while also making overall improve- energy does not provide additional transfer Brazil’s experiences to West ments to food, biofuel and electricity employment, and it is also cheaper Africa. An experience, however, is an production. […] I believe that some to produce biofuels than hydro- experience, and it has to be adapted to countries in Africa could receive some electricity. West African countries the local context, which is why local technical assistance or technological are well endowed with resources authorities have a lot of responsibility transfers from Brazil that would for extensive biofuel production. in the strategic choices that are to be help adapt these technologies and made.” equipment to the African context.”

Chad to join ECOWAS?

by Elvis KODJO ALGÉRIE LIBYA had is a Central African country

and a member of the Economic 3376 C Tarso Emissi T 3315 Community of Central African States Toussidé

é (ECCAS), - but why should not it also T ibesti 3415 Emi Koussi become a member of the Economic n E r Community of West African States d Massif é i (ECOWAS)? Although the idea Arlit de l’Aïr r has not been officially announced, 2022 Monts Bagzane é NIGER the spokesman of the Ministry of Massif Agadez Ennedi Foreign Affairs Moussa Mahamat Bodélé Dago indicated on 19 January 2012 in Abidjan that the issue was currently being considered. TCHAD Sahel Dakoro

Nguigmi Mao Madaoua Abéché Tessaoua Zinder Miria Emerging from several decades of Maradi

Diffa Matamèye Ati Oum Hadjer unrest, Chad understands more Daura Lac Tchad SUDAN Magaria Nguru Gashua Kaura Namoda Katsina Kukawa Massaguet than any other African country that Gumel Dutsin-Ma Hadejia N'Djaména Mongo Gusau Maiduguri “African integration is necessary for Kano Dutse Potiskum Damaturu Kousseri Dourbali Bama Funtua Azare

its development”, stated Mahamat. C h a ri Zaria Mora Am Timan He also underlined that Chad, which NIGERIA Maga Biu Mokolo Maroua Kontagora Kaduna Bauchi Bongor Shiroro Gombi Yagoua has already developed close relation- Reservoir Gombe Mubi Kaélé Jos Guider Log one ships with four ECOWAS member Laï Minna Pala Garoua Kélo Langtang é ou Retenue én countries, has a geographic location Suleja Akwanga B Yola de Lagdo Sarh Jalingo Koumra Abuja Moundou Doba that would allow it to be a member of 2042 Vogel Peak CAMEROUN Kabba Touboro both ECOWAS and ECCAS and that Lokoja Makurdi Wukari Okene Ayangba 2460 Ankpa Mt Tchabal Mbabo Ngaoundéré Ajaokuta 2418 Gboko Mt Chappal Waddi such a dual membership “would not be Auchi m a o u RÉPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE Nsukka Otukpo a a d Banyo Uromi Nkambe Ngaoundal Meiganga contradictory.” It would not be the first Enugu Wum A Abakaliki 3008 Tibati Retenue Agbor Asaba Mt Oku de Mbakaou Bamenda Ndop Awka Lac de Afikpo Bali Magba © Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD) time that a country was a member of Abraka Onitsha Mamfé Bamendjing Garoua Boulaï Ikom Mbouda Foumban two regional economic communities. Since the start of oil production in At a glance Chadian authorities have been consid- 2005, Chad has become the 9th largest ering this possibility because they see African oil producer and has improved Capital N’Djaména it as a way of securing the best possible its network of roads, which has Land area 1 284 000 km2 future for their country. After thirty expanded from 200 to more than Independence 11 August 1960 (from France) years of war, explained Mahamat, 3 000 km. Plans for a new, ultramodern Official languages Arabic, French Chad continues to evoke the image of airport are underway, and a railroad Spoken languages Sara (in the South), an unstable and violent country. Under linking the country to Cameroon will > 120 local languages the leadership of President Idriss Déby, soon be constructed. While being a Life expectancy at birth 49.6 years the country has launched serious veritable construction site, Chad also GDP per capita (PPP) USD 1 518 (2010) diplomatic efforts over the past decade has 40 million hectors of arable land. Annual real GDP growth 8.4% (average over 2002-10) to erase this dark past and to attract In order to encourage the effective Currency CFA Franc (Central Africa) investors to this “huge construction use of this land, Mahamat indicated Membership ABN, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, site, endowed with a vast potential that the country “has equipped itself with CBLT, CILSS, Cen-sad, ECCAS is just waiting to be exploited.” Despite a particularly attractive investment Human Dev. Index 2011 Rank 183 (out of 187 countries) some attempts to foster a rebellion, code” and is looking to secure the best 2012 World Bank Doing Rank 183 (out of 183 countries) Mahamat stressed that President Déby opportunities for itself by diversifying Business Indicator has succeeded in putting Chad on the its economic partners in both Central 2011 Corruption Rank 168 (out of 182 countries) path towards development. and West Africa. Perception Index 2011 Ibrahim Index of Rank 52 (out of 53 countries) African Governance

6 SWAC News / October 2011 - February 2012 © Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD) Focus on Chad

Rural population density (2000) DID YOU KNOW?

2 ALGÉRIE • Chad is the largest country in West Africa (1 284 km ), 2 2 LIBYA followed by Niger (1 267km ) and Mali (1 240km ); Arlit

3376 • It has the second weakest density of population (follow- Tarso Emissi T 3315 Agadez Toussidé ing Mauritania); more than two-thirds of the population

é (72.4%) live in rural areas; T ibesti 3415 Tahoua Emi Koussi n E Birni N'Konni Abéché r Zinder d • Despite persisting food security concerns, agricultural GDP in Maradi Limit of the Sahel’s Massif é i Sokoto Daura Niamey Argungu Nguru Kukawa vulnerable zone Arlit de 2010 grew by 13%, and consumer prices fell by 2% (IMF); Dosso Kaura Katsina Gashua Namoda Gumel l’Aïr r Birnin-Kebbi Jega Dutsin-Ma Hadejia Maiduguri Gusau Azare N'Djaména Gummi Kousseri 2022 Kano Damaturu Monts Bagzane Funtua Dutse Potiskum Bama é NIGER Yelwa • Chad approved the “Charter for Food Crisis Prevention Maroua Massif Bauchi Biu Agadez Ennedi Gombe Bodélé and Management” (November 2011) and signed the Kélo

co-operation framework (2 March 2012) to formalise the Sarh creation of a regional network of national food security Moundou 0 500 km TCHAD stocks (RESOGEST) > page 12;

Sahel 2 2 2 Dakoro > 150 inhab./km 50 < 100 inhab./km 10 < 30 inhab./km Nguigmi Mao Madaoua Abéché 2 2 2 Tessaoua Zinder Miria Maradi • The oil boom pushes GDP annual growth prospects up to 100-150 inhab./km 30 < 50 inhab./km < 10 inhab./km

Diffa Matamèye Ati Oum Hadjer Daura Lac Tchad SUDAN 7% in 2012 (IMF); Magaria Nguru Gashua Kaura Namoda Katsina Kukawa Massaguet Gumel Dutsin-Ma Hadejia N'Djaména Mongo Gusau Maiduguri Kano Dutse Potiskum Damaturu Kousseri Dourbali • Nevertheless, Chad still depends on oil imports to cover its Transboundary watercourses Bama Funtua Azare

C energy needs. Chad's first oil refinery, a joint venture with h a ri Zaria Mora Am Timan NIGERIA Maga China National Petroleum Company, has suspended pro- Biu Mokolo Maroua Kontagora Kaduna Bauchi Bongor Shiroro Gombi Yagoua Reservoir Gombe Mubi Kaélé duction only a few months after its opening (June 2011); Jos Guider Log one Minna Pala Laï Garoua Kélo Langtang é ou Retenue én Suleja Akwanga B Yola de Lagdo Sarh • Niger has reached an agreement with Chad on Niger Jalingo Koumra Abuja Moundou Doba 2042 29 February 2012 to ship crude oil from its Agadem field Vogel Peak CAMEROUN Lake Chad Kabba Touboro Lokoja Makurdi Wukari for export through the Chad-Cameroon pipeline; Okene Ayangba 2460 Ankpa Mt Tchabal Mbabo Ngaoundéré Ajaokuta 2418 Gboko Mt Chappal Waddi Auchi m a o u RÉPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE Nsukka Otukpo a a d Banyo Uromi Nkambe Ngaoundal Meiganga Enugu Wum A • Chad is a candidate to join the Extractive Industries Abakaliki 3008 Tibati Retenue Agbor Asaba Mt Oku de Mbakaou Bamenda Ndop Awka Afikpo Lac de © Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD) Bali Bamendjing Magba Transparency Initiative (EITI). It has until 15 April 2012 to Abraka Onitsha Mamfé Garoua Boulaï Ikom Mbouda Foumban implement the EITI standard and complete an EITI validation in order to become an EITI compliant country; Cross

• Chad is one of the few African countries to have broken off Akpa Yafi relations with Beijing (1997) after recognising the govern- Source: ESRI, Global GIS, Why Map ment in Taipei. The two countries restored diplomatic relations in 2006; The shrinking Lake Chad

• Chad’s military expenditures (6.6 % of GDP in 2008) are Border far above the region’s average. The army counts some Greater Lake Chad Town and Village 25 000 soldiers; Lake in 2002 Niger 0 30 60 Km

Liwa • The security situation in Chad has considerably improved over the past years, in particular in Eastern Chad thanks to Chad a joint Sudano-Chadian border control force; Baga Sola

Bol • Over 70 000 people fleeing violence from Libya have

been repatriated to or via Chad, with the help of Komadugu Yobe international agencies. According to UNHCR estimations River system Baga Kawa for January 2012, Chad hosts more than half a million refugees and internally displaced people (130 000 IDPs, Darrak Tourba Nigeria Djimtilo 288 000 Sudanese refugees, 75 000 refugees from the Monguno C h a r iL o g o m e Central African Republic); Cameroon R iv e r s y s t e m

Source : ESRI , Global GIS Produced by : M. Niasse , C. Mbow (2006)

• Despite progress made, the poverty situation and social Ngala welfare are still far below the region’s average. The maximum flooded area of Lake Chad decreased from 37 000 km2 in the early 1950s to 15 000 km2 in the early 1990s. Populations have tended to follow the “migration of the Lake”.

West African FutureS

Settlement, market and food security

2nd Working Group meeting

27-28 October 2011, Paris, OECD Conference Centre

ased on analyses of settlement participants discussed issues raised B dynamics, urbanisation and in the notes produced by the Secre- regional trade and its relation with tariat and identified themes to be food security, staff of the Secretariat integrated in the analysis. Next steps presented possible interpretations in and follow-up, in particular working terms of agricultural transformation sessions with the regional organisa- and food security prospects. The tions and their partners were set out.

Yaya Sow Claude Dieudonné Ambassador of Tchamda Ouedraogo ECOWAS to the Price statistics Professor at the EU and the ACP expert, Superior Institute group AFRISTAT of Demography, University of Ouagadougou

“I think that we need to make concrete “We were delighted by the positive “I believe that the West African recommendations and suggest approach of the WAF programme to Futures programme is first and solutions that would help regional the main problems facing the region. foremost a tool to raise awareness organisations in making decisions.” We continue to believe that continued among OECD member countries, in urban growth and a thriving informal order to ensure that they better take Seyni Hamadou economy will not have a negative into account settlement patterns in Officer in charge impact on development. We hope that their development co-operation with of agriculture, when the Programme is completed, the region, be it at the bilateral or UEMOA results will be made widely available. multilateral level.” Commission [...] There are three major problems with statistical data: availability, Ismaël Fofana financial resources and compara- IFPRI, West and “Unfortunately, the question of demog- bility. On the one hand, there is data Central Africa raphy was not taken as a primary focus produced by the United Nations and Office, Dakar for the work of the Department of clarified in international definitions, Natural Resources. […] We hope that and Africa is a very specific case for the West African Futures programme them. On the other hand, there are the will help us analyse these underlying clear-cut positions of different national dynamics so that we can then take administrations, which, for one reason “For a long time, we have made them into account in our work on food or another, do not want to budge.” political decisions without knowing security issues in the sub-region.” what their exact impact would be. […] Moreover, implementation continues to be a serious challenge; there have been many policies in the past that > Watch the interviews were defined and then ultimately never on YouTube: implemented.”

http://youtu.be/Fvk- mIbYQA7E http://www.oecd.org/swac/waf

8 SWAC News / October 2011 - February 2012 © Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD) West African Futures

West African Harmonisation of Economic concentration urbanisation trends West African settlement data and settlement WAF no. 1, June 2011 WAF no. 2, July 2011 WAF no. 3, August 2011

This briefing note addresses the West African countries have suffi- Drawing on the World Bank’s World problems of data reliability, varying ciently similar characteristics as to Development Report 2009, “Reshaping definitions and consistency and prompt comparisons between national economic geography”, this note comparability between information situations. Such comparisons are analyses the ongoing transformation sources. Estimates of West Africa’s possible only if the data are uniform. of the rural-urban relationship in West urban population differ widely This note calls attention to the need, Africa. Building on the argument between UN data and those of the within a regional approach, to pursue advanced in previous briefing notes, Africapolis study on urbanisation the consistency and harmonisation of it places the link between urbani- trends. settlement data. sation and economic growth in a food security perspective.

Agricultural and Regional trade Informal economy non-agricultural population and food security and food security WAF no. 4, September 2011 WAF no. 5, October 2011 WAF no. 6, November 2011

The agricultural population does Regional food markets and trade are It would be misleading to address food not exclusively live in rural areas; crucial to West African food security. security without taking into account agricultural producers can also be This paper aims to highlight statis- a large part of the economy that found in urban settings. Similarly, tical inconsistencies and how they can provides jobs, income and essential a significant proportion of rural impact perceptions of food issues. It services for the urban population and dwellers are not food-producers. The illustrates the need to consider the for the non-agricultural population in relative proportions of food producers regional and informal dimensions of rural areas. Despite its important role, and non-producers vary with the size trade when designing food security however, the informal economy is still of the urban agglomerations and strategies. poorly defined, poorly measured and also depend on the level of economic consequently, poorly incorporated development. This note highlights the into food security policies. This note difficulty of measuring and monitoring assesses the overall size and impor- the ratio between agricultural and tance of the informal economy in the non-agricultural populations (PP/ West African region and takes a closer NPP ratio), an essential indicator for look at the way it operates. managing food security policy.

Regional settlement statistics and food security policy design UEMOA 15-16 February 2012, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

his technical workshop organised by the SWAC Secretariat within its WAF programme and hosted by the UEMOA T Commission, brought together experts from AFRISTAT, CILSS (AGRHYMET, INSAH), FAO and UEMOA to discuss food security policy design issues related to a lack of homogeneous and coherent data at the regional level and imprecise statistical concepts and definitions. Participants drafted a list of priority recommendations and follow-up activities to improve regional data problems and their impact on food security policies.

Proposal 1: Developing synergies Proposal 2: Creating a Proposal 3: Harmonising between regional organisations harmonised regional database population censuses

Facilitate discussions and Regional representatives proposed Harmonisation of population censuses strengthen synergies between to set-up a regional database (periodicity, sequencing) at the ECOWAS, UEMOA, CILSS, AFRISTAT on agricultural, demographic regional level would also need to be and the FAO. Dialogue platforms and settlement statistics, jointly coupled with agricultural censuses. could help improve co-ordination managed by regional organisations. This combination would help redefine with regard to data needs, concepts A special unit should be responsible priorities in terms of data collection and sources of information and define for ensuring coherence between the and formatting. thematic and spatial responsibilities. various datasets and updating data The SWAC Secretariat has a key role and their respective status (estimated, More regular and faster data collection: to play in facilitating this process. calculated, definitive; harmonisation Given the strong demographic and ex-post vs. ex-ante). settlement dynamics at work in West Data harmonisation should take into Africa, it is important to be able to account ongoing programmes: New and simple indicators to monitor monitor these transformations more settlement dynamics are needed. closely by conducting more regular • ECOAGRIS (Agricultural In- For example, demographic and censuses and by reducing lead times formation System, launched by consumption data provides infor- between data collection and the the ECOWAS Commission in mation on food accessibility and its official release of findings. March 2012); impact on food security. • SIAR (Regional Agricultural Proposal 4: Developing Information System of UEMOA The quality of raw data must also be integrated food security policies Member countries covering four improved. Prior to data collection, domains: food security, agricul- concepts need to be reexamined and Food security goes beyond agricultural sector, international com- appropriate updating mechanisms for tural policies and regional organi- mercial negotiations and markets); survey results need to be put in place. sations therefore need to design integrated food security policies that • Harmonised datasets are produced Modelling can be used in order to pay more attention to other sectors by CILSS and its specialised agen- temporary fill the absence of coherent which impact food security (infra- cies (AGRHYMET, INSAH); and harmonised agricultural and structure, urban planning, population • AFRISTAT, harmonised and si- settlement data. Participants asked for policies, etc.). multaneous population and hous- a training session on the population ing censuses project; matrix and the demo-economic model Proposals on how to facilitate the • FAO CountrySTAT programme. used by the SWAC Secretariat. development of these integrated food security policies need to be further explored. Findings of the SWAC analyses conducted within the WAF programme could be linked up with results from the INSAH programme of CILSS on demography and food security.

10 SWAC News / October 2011 - February 2012 © Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD) SWAC Work

Food security: A regional Charter for West Africa

14-17 November 2011, Conakry, Guinea

RPCA uilding on regional and national The Ministers recommended that the Food Crises B dialogue workshops held within ECOWAS Commission makes practical the 17 countries covered by the arrangements for the approval and A RegionAl ChARteR foR West AfRiCA Charter, the “Charter for Food Crisis the effective implementation of the Prevention and Management” was Charter, notably: approved on 17 November 2011 by the Ministers of Food and Agriculture of • The development and funding the 15 ECOWAS member countries, as of a programme to disseminate well as Mauritania and Chad. the Charter’s text in all signatory countries, taking into account The Charter reflects a new regional local languages and the differing ambition to prevent food crises, while socio-cultural environments; managing them effectively where they occur. Emphasizing the role of • The creation of the evaluation and regional organisations, it underlines monitoring mechanism for the that alternatives to food aid should be Charter’s implementation at the sought or chosen wherever possible. national and regional level; The Charter also places special focus upon the structural dimension of food • The development and funding of a The Charter goes beyond the original text of crises. In the long run, concerted, capacity building programme for the Food Aid Charter (1990), evolving from effective, and sustainable preventive national food security systems and co-ordinated food aid management towards a actions should help enable the region civil society in light of their active food crisis prevention and management tool to phase out the need for food aid. participation in the Charter’s advocating mutual responsibility. It also opens implementation. itself up to regional organisations and non-state actors, and expands its geographic coverage from the Sahel to all of West Africa.

From left to right: Laurent Bossard, SWAC Secretariat Director and Alpha Condé, President of Guinea.

A regional network of food security stock Boards (RESOGEST)

29 February - 2 March 2012, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

From left ot right: Jean Marc Telliano, Minister in charge of Agriculture, Guinea; Abdoulaye Combari, Deputy Minister in charge of Agriculture, Burkina Faso and Prof. Alhousseini Bretaudeau, CILSS Executive Secretary

Resogest he co-operation framework, Commitments T adopted on 2 March 2012 at a Ministerial meeting, formalises The national food security stock Today, food stocks at the local, national support for the national boards boards commit to: and regional level are an important part in charge of managing national of food crisis management strategy. food stocks through a regional • Constitute in each country a reserve (at Some stocks play a stabilising/price solidarity mechanism that covers the least 5% of the national food security regulation role in the local markets. 15 ECOWAS members countries, Chad stock) which could be mobilised in the With its varying agricultural output, and Mauritania. Regular information- form of a loan or a gift in response to an the Sahel and West Africa region has sharing is one important activity of acute food crisis occurring in another surplus areas coexisting with deficit this regional network. Sahelian or West African country; areas practically every year. This issue has led regional actors to consider the Acting as interface between local, • Promote cereal trade between surplus and importance of a network of food stock national and regional food reserves, deficit countries through triangular opera- boards in the Sahel and West Africa. the RESOGEST constitutes one of the tions (purchase/sales/loans) and stimulate This network, called RESOGEST, is major pillars of the West Africa Food sub regional trade in agri-food products; meant to become an intergovernmental, Stock Strategy in compliance with supranational, non-profit agency under the principles of the Charter for Food • Assess agricultural and food needs of public law that will neither replace Crises Prevention and Management. vulnerable populations in order to provide nor duplicate the work of the national (page 11). Technically facilitated by reliable country-level information on de- boards. CILSS, it also supports the creation mand and supply (deficits or surpluses); of a Regional Food Reserve under the aegis of ECOWAS. • Take into account consensual analyses of the food situation produced by the In June 2011, the G20 picked up some Regional System for the Prevention and of the proposals made during the Management of Food Crises (March, Outreach session “Agricultural and September and November); Food Price Volatility” organised by the SWAC Secretariat and the OECD with • Share information on logistical arrange- the support of the G20 French presi- ments and the timeframe between dency, and decided to support a pilot observed food needs and food supply. project in West Africa for the creation of a Regional Food Reserve. 12 SWAC News / October 2011 - February 2012 © Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD) sWaC WorK

27th annuaL meeting oF the Food Crises PreVention netWorK (rPCa)

8-10 december 2011, Praia, Cape Verde

he meeting brought together key food security actors who jointly prepared an assessment of the 2011-2012 agropas- T toral season and food prospects. They also considered the state of progress of the Charter for Food Crisis Prevention and Management and discussed the issue of “food processing and food security”; the development of the food processing industry still poses serious challenges. Recommendations for next steps in each area target governments, regional organisations, and West Africa’s technical and fi nancial partners.

Food situation a risk of food crisis in The grain output forecast for the vulnerable areas Food Security and nutrition in the Sahel and WeSt aFrica 2011-2012 season in the Sahel and Acute malnutrition rates are already Main conclusions of the 27th annual meeting of West Africa stands at 55.4 million high in defi cit areas such as Tillabéry the Food Crises Prevention Network in the Sahel and West Africa (RPCA) held in Praia, Cape Verde, in December 2011 tonnes, representing an 8% decrease and Diffa in Niger, Timbuktu in Mali, I. Introduction

compared to the previous year’s Matam in Senegal, certain areas of The 27th annual meeting of the Food Crisis The present paper, aimed at informing decision Prevention Network in the Sahel and West Africa makers in governments and intergovernmental (RPCA) took place under the patronage of His organisations (ECOWAS, UEMOA and CILSS) Excellency José Maria Neves, Prime Minister of as well as other food security stakeholders, output but a 4% increase from average Burkina Faso and Mauritania, and Cape Verde. The aim of this meeting was to summarises the meeting’s main conclusions and • assess the 2011-2012 agropastoral season and proposals for next steps. It complements the press food prospects, release on 2011-2012 food prospects in the Sahel

DECEMBER 2011 and West Africa, issued at the 27th annual RPCA • consider the state of progress of the Charter for meeting. output over the last fi ve years. Total Chad’s Sahelian belt. The agricul- Food Crisis Prevention and Management, and • discuss the issue of “food processing and food security”.

grain output in the Sahel stands at tural and fodder production defi cits II. Conclusions 16.6 million tonnes, a decrease of 25% recorded in the 2011-2012 season in 2.1 Food and nutrition situation X Net grain deficits and low biomass production in most Sahelian countries The grain output forecast for the 2011-2012 season are experiencing a 50% and 52% decrease in grain in the Sahel and West Africa stands at 55.4 million output respectively from the previous year’s harvest from the previous year’s harvest and of certain areas of the Sahel have signifi - policy note tonnes, representing an 8% decrease compared to and a decrease of 23% and 38% from the five-year the previous year’s output but a 4% increase from average. average output over the last five years. Total grain Chad’s Sahelian belt, Mauritania’s agropastoral area, output in the Sahel stands at 16.6 million tonnes, a certain areas of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and decrease of 25% from the previous year’s harvest localised areas of Senegal and the Gambia are all 2% from the fi ve-year average due to cantly lowered the incomes of pastoral and of 2% from the five-year average due to rainfall affected by fodder shortfall. This has resulted in and water shortages. The Sahel has a gross grain early cross-border transhumance that has created deficit of 2.6 million tonnes. If regional markets risks of overgrazing and conflict in receiving areas. were functioning properly, there should be a net Pastoral farmers are also having difficulty providing grain surplus of 419 368 tonnes in the Sahel, but rainfall and water shortages. The Sahel and agropastoral communities. The their livestock with sufficient water due to low as it stands now, some countries will experience surface water levels. severe shortages. Mauritania and Chad in particular has a gross grain defi cit of 2.6 million situation could evolve into a food crisis X Rising prices, particularly in drought-affected areas Commodity prices are currently higher than the severe in low production areas of the Sahel five-year average. Price increases are particularly (10 to 60%). Dried grain prices are particularly tonnes. If regional markets were in the coming months if mitigation

SAHEL AND WEST AFRICA Club functioning properly, there should be measures are not taken before the next Secretariat a net grain surplus of 419 368 tonnes lean season, which may come earlier For more information on the food in the Sahel, but as it stands now, than usual. situation, read the RPCA policy some countries will experience severe note. An update of the food shortages. Chad and Mauritania in situation will be produced during particular are experiencing a 50% and the restricted RPCA meeting 52% decrease in grain output respec- (Paris, OECD, 12-13 April 2012). tively from the previous year’s harvest and a decrease of 23% and 38% from the fi ve-year average. http://www.food-security.net

SWAC Strategy and Policy Group meeting (SPG) 7-8 December 2011, Praia, Cape Verde

Following a presentation of key of lobbying to enhance the political achievements in 2011, SPG Members import and strategic impact of the approved the 2011 activities and Club. EU Representatives actively budget implementation report. They participated in the debates; discus- also discussed the formulation of sions to formalise the EU adhesion the next Mandate and the possible to the Club are underway. The OECD creation of a high-level position of a Development Strategy, currently “Special Representative of the SWAC under preparation, was also presented President” who would be in charge at the meeting.

SWAC visit to the new UEMOA Commission and CILSS 15-16 January 2012, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

SWAC President Mr. de Donnea CILSS priorities. The next RPCA and Director Mr. Bossard met with meeting will provide an oppor- the newly appointed President of tunity for UEMOA and ECOWAS to the UEMOA Commission, Cheikhe assert their political leadership role Hadjibou Soumaré as well as with in this field. The joint organisation in the CILSS Executive Secretary December 2012 of the “Week of the Sahel Prof. Bretaudeau. Soumaré intends and West Africa”, a series of key events to make “food security” a top priority (SWAC Forum, RPCA meeting, SPG, for the UEMOA Commission (as illus- CILSS donor co-ordination meeting, UEMOA Commission President Cheikhe Hadjibou Soumaré trated by the creation of the High- etc.) that are mostly dedicated to the and SWAC President François-Xavier de Donnea level Committee for Food Security topic of “Food Prospects”, will help on 13 February 2012). This priority to build further synergies between is obviously fully compliant with various food security initiatives.

Cocoa: Child Labour Guidebook launch

23 November 2011, Brussels, Belgium

Public and private stakeholders from Building on work conducted by the the West African cocoa sector attended SWAC Secretariat in collaboration the presentation of the guidebook. The with the International Cocoa author, Sue Upton, highlighted the Initiative, this guidebook gathers social and cross-sectoral dimensions together experiences and ideas from of child labour and called for a holistic representatives of governments, approach that takes into account local organisations and agencies active contexts. The release of the guidebook at different stages along the cocoa marks the end of a three-year project, supply chain as well as from men, launched in 2008 at the initiative of women and children living in cocoa the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and growing communities. It outlines Development Co-operation of Belgium seven key recommendations and and with the support of SWAC identifies some emerging good members. The project contributed to practices from existing interventions in the promotion of a complementary the hope of contributing to their wider regional approach to child labour application. It reflects on the different based on existing experiences and roles and responsibilities of key actors best practices. The guidebook will in order to encourage greater clarity, be largely disseminated by the Inter- co-ordination and collaboration in the national Cocoa Initiative, the Inter- coming years. Parliamentary Union and the SWAC Secretariat.

West Africa Gateway www.westafricagateway.org

n response to a lack of transparent I and reliable information on the region and within the framework of SWAC’s monitoring activities provided forPortail its Members, de l’Afrique the SWAC Secre- tariat launchedde in l’Ouest November 2011 an information gateway dedicated to the West African region. As an online resource centre offering easy-access to reliable information on the region, the West Africa Gateway provides a large diversity of services, including weekly NewsBriefs to which one can subscribe via email or RSS feed, a regional database, a map centre, a document library, a contact database, an events calendar, thematic dossiers, West African viewpoints, interviews etc. The data uploading is still ongoing, and more content will be Content added and updated throughout 2012. The Gateway is also dedicated to Weekly NewsBriefs sharing information and promoting Country profiles work produced by Club Members. Regional slideshow A first consultative mission was Personality profiles conducted with UEMOA, CILSS, Thematic dossiers SDC, ACDI/CIDA, GIZ and ISSP from Contact database 20 to 24 February 2012 in Ouaga- Document library dougou in order to promote this new Data & Statistics collaborative tool, collect first-hand Maps & Graphs data and establish a network of focal Jobs, consultancies points. More consultative missions are Events calendar planned, in particular with ECOWAS. Viewpoints, interviews

Weekly NewsBriefs and RSS feeds to keep track of regional trends gatewayiconweb_en.indd 1 17-Feb-2012 6:28:06 PM

Global Security Risks and West Africa: Development Challenges OECD West African Studies, January 2012

This SWAC publication explores current global security issues, their development in West Africa and their potential impact on regional stability. It takes a close look at issues such as terrorism and trafficking, climate change, and the links between security and development. Some of these issues are still the object of heated debate. This book draws attention to the risk of oversimplified analyses and biased perceptions of security risks. It also highlights the need for co-ordinated policies and dialogue between West Africa, North Africa and OECD countries.

Are economic free zones good for development? West African Challenges, no. 4, November 2011 François Bost, Geographer, Senior Lecturer at Université de Paris-Ouest-Nanterre- La Défense

There are 29 free zones today in 11 West African countries, which can be broken down into free trade zones (6) and export processing zones (23) and to which may be added some 450 “free points”. “Rather than being the driving force for development in West Africa, free zones seem to be simply one among several components of a more general development strategy that has yet to be precisely defined”, concludes François Bost. How, then, can these zones be transformed into effective drivers for development? This paper summarises the key findings of the “World Atlas of Free Zones” (Atlas mondial des zones franches).

China and Nigeria: a powerful South-South alliance West African Challenges, no. 5, November 2011 Margaret Egbula, Qi Zheng

China’s growing involvement in the African continent has drawn intense scrutiny from traditional partners and raises the question of whether or not collaboration is beneficial for African countries and their development goals. No bilateral China-Africa relationship is evolving faster, or impacts more people, than the one between China and Nigeria. The Asian giant going global meets the African giant who aims to become one of the world’s top 20 economies. This paper, co-authored by two young professionals from China and Nigeria, analyses the political, economic and social impact of this powerful South-South alliance.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

• Restricted meeting of the Food Crisis Prevention Network (RPCA), 12-13 April 2012, OECD Conference Centre • Strategy and Policy Group meeting, 11 June 2012, Paris, OECD Conference SAHEL AND • Colloquium on Security and Development, 12 June 2012, WEST AFRICA Club Paris, OECD Conference Secretariat

Contact: [email protected] mailing Address SWAC/OECD 2, rue André Pascal F–75775 Paris, Cedex 16

Secrétariat O du ffice Le Seine Saint-Germain DU SAH EL12, ET bd D Edes Iles, building B Clu b L'AFRIQ UEF–92130 DE L'O UIssy-les-Moulineaux EST Tel +33 (0)1 45 24 92 42 Fax +33 (0)1 45 24 90 31 www.oecd.org/swac E-mail [email protected]